第１２３３堀：何かをするというのは大変なこと (Part2)
"I understand. You are quite right; if we don't solidify those details, the entire endeavor will be meaningless. However, is there truly no other institution on the If Continent that could serve as a substitute for our academy? The Lancer Magic Academy is, as the name implies, an institution strictly for 'magic.' To expect us to encompass all other fields as well is..."
"According to what I heard from Yuki-dono beforehand, the plan on the New Continent is for the Haire Church to gather students through the various nations. As for the Zurable Great Empire, Yupi-dono intends to put her own name forward to handle the recruitment. Ah, it must be nice to have such absolute authority; it makes things so much simpler."
Yupi-dono had sent word that she was quite excited about the prospect.
She even added the bonus request that the Lancer Magic Academy’s knowledge be shared as well.
Well, that place is essentially under the singular control of the Zurable Great Empire.
There’s no need to agonize over who should take the lead.
Of course, if they fail, it will inevitably become a problem, but knowing Yupi, she will seize this opportunity to tighten her grip on the administration.
"Then, what if the Enaria Church were to take charge on the If Continent?"
"Well, that is one possibility, but... the foundation of that organization is the Enaria Holy Kingdom. If they were to lead, the other nations would surely not look upon it favorably."
"Indeed... in that case, the Hifi Sacred Kingdom is even more out of the question."
"Ah, that would be even more problematic. People would wonder why such a small nation is taking the lead, and I doubt Hifi-dono herself desires such a thing."
After all, though it hasn't been made public, they were the ones causing trouble on this continent.
Regardless, it would be best for them to keep a low profile.
"In any case, we depart tomorrow. We have been told to prepare our own hopes and proposals for the matter."
"Hopes and proposals, you say?"
"Precisely. If we are to take in students from across the entire If Continent and provide them with a foundational education, we will be inheriting a mountain of complications. We’ll need to expand our facilities, recruit additional personnel, and develop a curriculum. Most daunting of all, we must establish a set of 'common sense' standards—a framework that is acceptable to Weed, yet also functions seamlessly here on the If Continent. Now, what should we demand, and what proposals should we put forth?"
There is an endless list of things to request, but I must organize them and write them down one by one.
"If that is the case, the first step must be to have the various nations cover the expenses incurred by our academy taking on this burden."
"That goes without saying. Unless we provide a detailed breakdown of those costs, they won't open their coffers. Let’s see... the buildings for the students to study in, dormitories, land development, furniture... what else?"
"We will also need to supplement our staff. However, if the academy selects them alone, it will cause friction, so we should solicit personnel from each nation. And, naturally, those nations should bear the costs for their own people."
"Agreed. Though, if we have to establish requirements for their knowledge and conduct interviews and practical assessments, we’ll need to create a manual for that as well, won't we?"
"An educational manual for the educators... it’s logical, certainly, but this is going to be an immense undertaking."
"Indeed. Since we are building this almost from scratch, it will require countless meetings."
The more I discuss this with Lara, the more the sheer scale of the work becomes apparent, and the thought of the future makes my head throb.
Perhaps it would be better for us if we were to gladly yield this role should Enaria offer to take it.
And yet, having already been recommended by the various nations, backing out now would be problematic...
Ah, I really should have coordinated with the other nations beforehand.
"Oh, Headmaster. Speaking of which, here are the documents."
As if only just remembering, Lara drops a heavy stack of papers onto my desk.
"Hm? What are these?"
"What do you mean, 'what'? These are the routine academy documents. You must fulfill your duties as Headmaster properly."
"...Perhaps I should seriously consider how to decline this entire project."
"That is a possibility we should keep in mind. If we proceed, we will be pulling all-nighters from here on out."
I cannot deny Lara’s words in the slightest.
Even the tasks we’ve just touched upon are a Herculean labor with no end in sight.
And if I have to tackle other problems on top of this, I might just die of exhaustion.
I really must consult with Yuki-dono thoroughly tomorrow.
As for my Master... no, that’s out of the question.
"For now, we must prepare the materials for my talk with Yuki-dono."
"Yes. I will compile those, so please attend to the academy’s paperwork first."
"Ah, understood."
Before I knew it, the clock had already ticked past nine.
It looks like an all-nighter is inevitable.
Taking action is surprisingly difficult.
There is so much to investigate, so much to coordinate.
Working alone allows for flexibility, but working with others is truly an exhausting endeavor.